


5 Times Eddie realizes how caring Buck is

by waytotheend



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:29:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24479497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waytotheend/pseuds/waytotheend
Summary: ...+ 1 time Eddie shows Buck he’s loved.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Evan “Buck” Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 361
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	5 Times Eddie realizes how caring Buck is

**Author's Note:**

> This all started because I wanted to write about Buck learning ASL after saving Gladys in the 3x16 episode, and then I also got distracted while writing and ended up actually writing a 6+1 sorry.

**5 Times Eddie realizes how caring Buck is + 1 time Eddie shows Buck he’s loved.**

**1.**

Eddie and Buck are sitting at the table in the station’s kitchen when Hen gets to work. Eddie is reading a book and Buck is watching a video on his phone so intently that he doesn’t even look up when she greets him.

“What you got there, Buckaroo?” she asks and looks at Eddie to see if he knows but all she gets in return is a shrug.

“I’m trying to learn something.”

“You’re always learning something,” she teases him. He’s always deep into researching the most random things and as much as Hen likes to teas him a lot of the time, she knows how smart he is. “What is it this time?”

“ASL.” His reply is short but not rude and Hen is surprised, looks at Eddie again and finds him staring at Buck just as incredulously.

“You’re studying sign language?” Eddie asks. 

Buck nods and then gets up and leaves with his phone.

Eddie can’t help the fond smile that breaks out on his face “Of course he is.”

They think it’s just another thing Buck is interested in, until later in the day they find themselves staring as Buck is crouched down in front of a kid they just pulled out of a fire, a smile on his face while his hands move a bit stiffly between signs. They watch on as the kid smiles at Buck, fear long forgotten, and re-arranges his fingers in the right way.

Chimney comes over to stand next to Hen and Eddie so he can help pack everything up. He looks at Buck too. “What is he doing?”

Buck gets up, patting the kid on the head and walking him over to his mom before he finally goes over to the rest of the 118.

“You know sign language?” Chimney asks.

“I started learning after we saved that woman the night I met Red. I couldn’t reassure her as much as we usually do so I figured, next time I can be better prepared.” Buck shrugs like it’s not a big deal and then walks off, going to help the engine crew to pull back the hoses.

All they can do is stare after him.

**2.**

Eddie is pushing the cart, Buck in front of him selecting things from the shelves all the while keeping up an easy conversation. It’s a lot different from the last time they came to Howie’s Market with Bobby and truth to be told, Eddie is surprised they haven’t been banned.

Buck puts one box of cereal in the cart that Eddie knows it's not on the list.

“Buck?”

“Chris ran out, you mentioned it this morning.”

All Eddie had said was ‘I gotta stop for cereals on the way home tonight’ and somehow Buck had remembered. He shouldn’t be surprised, he knows this by now, Buck always pays attention to him and Christopher.

“We should also get him those dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets he’s been asking for.”

“Buck…”

“I know, he shouldn’t eat them.” He looks at Eddie with a soft smile, not looking sorry at all. “Good cop, bad cop, you know?”

Eddie laughs, pushes his cart into Buck’s hip in retaliation.

**3.**

“Am I going to die?”

The woman they’re trying to save is hyperventilating and won’t stay still long enough for them to reach her, her seat belt the only thing stopping her from falling through the broken windshield and plummeting to her death in the water below.

“Ma’am, what’s your name?” Buck’s voice is calming, his eyes assessing the situation.

“Me-Megan.”

“Hi Megan, I’m Buck and that’s Eddie. We’re going to get you out, alright?”

Eddie still has no idea how they’re going to do that. They used the rappelling kit to get down to her car, but it was going to be hard to grab her and get her out.

Buck reaches inside carefully passing the rope around her chest, keeping her distracted. “I’m getting you out, promise.”

The first thing they’re taught, is to not make promises, and Buck should have learned from the train derailment, he was ready to risk his life because of a promise and that had infuriated Eddie to no end. Buck was always so quick to throw himself at danger as if he didn’t have anyone counting on him, loving him.

“I thought these things only happened in movies, you know?” Megan says and she doesn’t seem to realize that she’s almost free.

Eddie reaches inside from his side, knife ready to slice through the seat belt. He looks at Buck, finds his eyes and waits for him to give him the nod before cutting her free.

They barely manage to pull out before the car jolts forwards and then free falls into the ocean.

Eddie’s first instinct is to check on Buck, make sure he got himself out, but he finds him focused on Megan, joking about how cool that looked and how he couldn’t wait to rub it in Chimney’s face.

**4.**

“’Cap, I’m telling you, I can get him out.”

That’s all Eddie hears while he’s passing the woman he’s just pulled out of the fire to Hen. 

“Buck, we’ve been over this, I can’t let you risk your life for…”

“Hey, listen, it’s on me. I think I can do it.”

Eddie knows Buck is asking Bobby to trust him. He watches them hold each other’s gaze before Bobby gives in, shoulders slumping as he nods.

Buck is running into the house a moment later.

“Did we miss someone?” Eddie asks.

“One of the kids Buck pulled out said they have a blind dog still inside the house.”

Bobby’s worried eyes stay focused on the door of the house, hands poised on his radio ready to call Buck out. Eddie takes his helmet off, trying to get his hair out of his face and waits with Bobby. Just as he’s about to run inside and drag Buck out, he walks out, dog hiding under his turnout coat. Buck’s smile is blinding.

**5.**

The only thing Eddie hates more than 24-hour-shifts, is having to do one when Buck is on a day off. On the bright side, by the time he drags himself home, back killing him, he knows Buck is going to be there, probably half asleep on the couch with Chris.

When he gets inside the house, he follows the sound of Chris’ laughter into the living room where he’s sitting next to Buck at the table. Eddie just leans against the door and watches them for a second.

“Chris, is not very nice to laugh at your friends, you know?” Buck is saying, head bent over one of Chris’ books, tongue sticking out in concentration. Chris only laughs harder at that.

“Math again?” Eddie asks, his own laugh bubbling out of his chest.

Buck glares at him but Chris laughs harder. Eddie walks over, one hand ruffling Christopher’s hair first and then Buck’s.

“See if I help you again, Chris,” Buck protests but they all know that Chris has Buck wrapped so tightly around his finger that he could ask for the moon and Buck would find a way of getting it.

“Chris, you know Buck doesn’t know math, mijo.”

“Hey, tell you what, tomorrow I’m going to bring my old fire science book to the station, and we’ll see who gets the most correct answers.”

Eddie rolls his eyes. Coming home and finding Buck and Chris waiting for him together, never ceases to make his hurt squeeze painfully in his chest, yearning to make Buck stay, keep him here with them where he belongs.

“Your kid is a bully, Eddie.” His eyes are full of mirth and Eddie can’t help himself, runs his hand through Buck’s hair again, this time slow and deliberate. 

“You let him bully you, that’s on you.”

Chris giggles from where he’s sitting. “Buck, I’m sorry.”

Buck’s face softens in that fond little smile that Eddie has come to catalog as Buck’s Chris smile. Eddie’s not too sure what he’s ever done to find someone who loves his kid as much as he does, but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t let Buck know how much it means to him.

**6.**

They’re responding to a call in a hospice, someone trapped on the roof, when Eddie notices Buck speaking with one of the patients, an elderly man that looks frail where he’s sitting in a wheelchair. Buck is crouching next to his chair and Eddie gets curious.

He looks to where Chimney is checking over the man they’ve just saved and figures he can take a few seconds to go check on Buck. When he’s near enough he hears Buck laugh, his face going pink as soon as he notices Eddie coming over.

“So, you haven’t done it yet?” the man is asking Buck just as Eddie reaches them.

Buck gets to his feet looking shy and uncertain. “Not yet.”

“Hey, Buck, we’re almost ready to go,” Eddie tells him.

“Eddie, this is Ronnie, Ronnie, this is Eddie.”

“Nice to meet you,” he says while shaking the man’s hand.

“Nice to finally meet you, too. I was starting to think you weren’t actually real. Buck here never shuts up about you.”

He’s so confused. “I’m sorry… how do you two know each other?”

Ronnie looks delighted at the question. “Oh, Buck comes to read to me once a week. Brings some beauty and companionship in an old man’s life.”

“You’re not that old, Ronnie,” Buck deflects.

Eddie can’t help but stare at him. Sometimes he feels like all he does is looking at Buck, couldn’t look away if he tried. He’s almost certain that Bobby has caught him staring more than once, Chimney and Hen probably did too; Eddie doesn’t really care.

“Anyway, we should go. I will see you next Wednesday, okay?” Buck is pulling him away before Eddie can get a word in edgewise.

“Is this why you’ve been blowing me off?”

Buck scoffs as they reach the truck outside. “I’d hardly calling it blowing you off. I skipped game night like, twice, so far. I know I’m irresistible but I’m sure you can entertain yourself without me for one night a week.”

Eddie raises an eyebrow and grins at him. Too easy. “I can definitely entertain myself.”

Buck pushes him and Eddie can’t help but laugh.

**+1**

Eddie knocks on Buck’s door twice before finally saying screw it and using his key to let himself in. The apartment is dark except for the light coming from the TV on in the corner.

“Buck?”

When he gets no answer, Eddie can feel the worry he’s been feeling for the last few hours of his shift getting stronger. He walks over to the sofa and finds Buck passed out, brow furrowed in pain, his hand holding his side even while he sleeps.

Eddie sighs, tells himself to calm down and then crouches by Buck’s head, one hand coming to cup his cheek, thumb stroking gently.

“Buck, hey, wake up.”

Buck moans, tries to turn away but he puts too much weight on his injured side and stirs, eyes blinking open slowly.

“Eddie?”

“Yeah. How are you feeling?”

Buck doesn’t move so Eddie lets his hand rest on Buck’s cheek, eyes falling l to Buck’s pink lips. 

“You’re an idiot, you know? I told you to wait for me but no, you just had to throw yourself inside.”

“She was going to die.”

Eddie pulls back, sits down on the floor, his eyes remaining locked with Buck’s. “I wish you’d get that your life is not expendable, you are not expendable.”

“Comes with the job.”

“You don’t have to be so reckless all the time just because you want to save everyone. You always think it’s going to work out in the end but sometimes it doesn’t, you know. One day it won’t work.”

Buck closes his eyes, readjusts himself so he’s sitting up. Eddie can’t help himself, puts his hands on Buck’s knees, thumbs digging into the bones. _Buck is okay_ he keeps repeating in his head.

“I know you care about saving everyone but Buck, I need you to save yourself too.”

He stares at Buck, sees his eyes soften in the blue light of the screen. Eddie pushes himself on his knees, comes to stand between Buck’s legs. His eyes search Buck’s for a moment and then he can’t help himself and leans close, his breath catching in his throat for a second before his lips touch Buck’s. It feels like he’s breathing for the first time after being underwater.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr where you can leave a prompt if you'd like! @hawthornsybil


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